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Geithner is preparing to shop around what could turn into a blockbuster book. He’ll lay out his close-up view of the much-maligned bank bailout, which he claims saved the United States from a second Great Depression and critics say was a no-strings-attached gift to Wall Street.

Until now, Geithner has not been able to tell his unvarnished version of the story. In on-the-record interviews while in office, he often was restrained in defending the administration’s crisis response despite what seemed like a clear desire to rip into his critics.

But the need for political restraint is over, and Geithner could use the book to finally fire back at the many academics and financial reform advocates who claim the Troubled Asset Relief Program saved the very executives who crashed the economy with reckless bets on toxic mortgage-backed securities and saddled the nation with a deep and painful recession — the effects of which linger.

Geithner, who just signed on as a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, is being represented by Washington super-lawyer Robert Barnett, who has helped many former government officials translate big-time Washington experience into lucrative speaking and writing careers. Barnett negotiated deals for both President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The book is in its early planning stages, and no offers are on the table yet. Both Barnett and Geithner declined to comment on details of the book, which is expected to come out next year. A publishing source said it could easily command an advance of $500,000 or more and will most likely generate a bidding war among publishers. Geithner could also get $25,000 or more for individual speaking engagements.

A source familiar with the project said Geithner will tell the story of the U.S. response to the financial crisis, beginning with his experience as president and chief executive of the New York Federal Reserve through his four-year stint as treasury secretary.

The source said Geithner will attempt to address what he views as “myths” and “confusion” that linger about the $700 billion bailout that began under former President George W. Bush and Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson and continued through the Obama administration.

In some respects, the book will cover familiar ground.

Paulson has already written a well-reviewed account of the crisis, “On the Brink.” And HBO made a popular film version of New York Times reporter Andrew Ross Sorkin’s best-selling book “Too Big to Fail,” in which Geithner plays a prominent role.

Neil Barofsky, former special inspector general for TARP, sharply criticized Geithner and Treasury in his own book “Bailout!” and recently said he looks forward to Geithner trying to settle the score.

“Bring it on!” Barofsky recently tweeted when reports of Geithner’s book began circulating. “Hopefully he can do better than his exit interviews, like actually admit to a mistake, but I doubt it,” Barofsky added.